Australia sends back another 41 Sri Lankan boat people

Australia said yesterday that 41 Sri Lankan asylum seekers, sent back yesterday after failing to meet Australia’s international obligations, had arrived in the Sri Lankan capital Thursday night. This is the 30th plane of Sri Lankan irregular maritime arrivals landed in Colombo, the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship Brendan O’Connor said.

With the latest send-off, since 13 August 2012, Australia has returned 1,247 Sri Lankans home and 1,035 of them involuntarily. Minister O’Connor, who visited Sri Lanka last month, said returning the group to Sri Lanka sends a powerful message.

“The return of another group to Sri Lanka sends a clear message that those who pay smugglers are throwing their money away and risking their lives in the process,” O’Connor said. “We are committed to breaking the evil people smuggling trade, deterring people from taking dangerous journeys by boat and saving lives at sea,” he said.

“When people arrive in Australia without authorization, any claims they make for their reasons to travel to Australia are assessed by the Department of Immigration. If these claims are not covered by the refugee convention, they will be returned to their homeland wherever possible,” he said.

“There is no visa on arrival, there is no speedy outcome, and there is no special treatment,” he said adding that Australia will continue to transfer people to offshore detention centres in Nauru and Manus Island.

According to the Australian Minister, people returned involuntarily do not have access to reintegration assistance.